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The roster for Pacific Pride’s return this fall is yet to be unveiled but one notable has now confirmed his place on social media. Ed Ilnicki won Canadian university football’s biggest prize in 2017 – the Hec Crichton Trophy – but he will now trade his pads in and attempt to make the transition to rugby.
Excerpts from his social media statement are quoted below:
“In June, I got a call from one of Rugby Canada’s coaches (who was at U of Manitoba during the first few years I was playing for U of A) to gauge my interest in this academy opportunity. It sparked something straight away.
“I asked a lot of questions about the structure of the academy – medical, development timelines, expectations, etc. I took a trip to Victoria a few weeks ago to see the facilities. They’re super-impressive.
“I started the RC training plan this week and it’s going well. There’s definitely a gap for me conditioning-wise that will take some hard work to make up, but I can feel the drive to compete at a high level has returned for me – and I’m stoked for that.”
Ilnicki set a new Canada West rushing record during his celebrated campaign, also leading USports Football in rushing touchdowns and carries while playing for the Alberta Golden Bears. He was also an Academic All-Canadian. The Ottawa Redblacks signed him to a CFL contract in January 2018 but he did not survive the cut following training camp.
That in itself is not surprising. Despite an outstanding university career, few Canadian running backs make CFL rosters while competing against NCAA standouts who don’t quite make the NFL. Ilnicki is not renowned for having blazing speed, but he has been praised for his vision, footwork, and ability to break tackles or make yards after contact.
At 5’10” (1.78m) and 220lbs (100kg), Ilnicki likely projects as a center in rugby if he can pick up the nuances of passing quickly. The 24-year-old will make the move to a daily training environment at Rugby Canada’s headquarters in Langford, and a spot on the Men’s Sevens squad may also be on offer if he succeeds – following the footsteps of NFL signing Tevaughn Campbell.
